Hollow-tile wall.



P. H. BEVIER.

HOLLOW TILE W ALL. APPLICATION FILED MAY22.191|.

'Patented @en 26; 1915.

d county of Kings,

titi

prima n. envian., or new wenn, n. a.

nonno man Watt.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that l, PHILIP lBEvI'ER, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Hollow-Tile Wall, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is a hollow t1le wall 'adapted to be economically installed, and yet possessing great strength and general edicieney.

As will hereinafter appear, the wall embodies courses of hollow tiles positioned vertically, and in a manner for the tiles of one course or layer to break joints with the tiles of an adjacent course or courses, whereby the webs of said tiles serve as compression members; and, also, positioning said tiles so that the successive webs and chambers are in alinement. By alining the chambers of the hollow tiles, the courses of vwhich break joints, continuous spaces are formed which can be filled in with concrete, with or without tension members, or further, may be employed to incase gas or water pipes, electric wiring, etc. i n l @ther features of the invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description read in conjunction with the drawings.

ln the accompanying drawings, l have illustrated one practical embodiment of the invention, but the construction shown therein is to be understood as illustrative, only, and notas defining the limits of the invention.

Figure 1 is a front view of a portion of a wall composed of hollow tiles assembled for the courses of tiles to break joints in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of a series of tiles composing the wall of Fig. l. Fig. 3 isa plan View showing one tile in full lines and two other tiles in dotted lines, in order to disclose the relation of the walls and webs of one tile relative to two adjacentv tiles either above or below it. Fig. 4 is a perspective view on lan enlarged scale, illustrating the .arrangement of breaking joint tiles in accordance with this invention andshowin'g, also, reinforced concrete in the chambers of certain of vthe tiles, a pipe adapted to run through the chambers of the tiles, a 5 stucco' iiish on one surface of the wall,

y Specication of Letters atent. Wwtmihd Umb, 26, Mitf., application mea y aa, ian. serial no.

and an interior finish on the other surface of the wall.

A designates abuilding block composed.

webs e, f, and cross webs g, h, all the parts being integral. Longitudinal chambers i are provided by'the walls and the webs, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.. Four of. these chambers are provided in the block, said chambers being substantially equal in cross sectional area. The block is provided with narrow longitudinal openings j, said openings being positioned lintermediate the webs g, z.. The longitudinal openings j are much narrower than the longitudinal chambers i. The block is composed of fire clay, and in manufacturing the block the material is run through a suitable tile machine, the parts of which are adjusted so that the walls and webs will be produced by running the Inaterial through the machine. rlhis requires that all the surfaces lengthwise the tile shall be substantially parallel, in order that Athe clay material will run through the dies of the machine. Subsequent to the production of the green or unbaked tile, it is placed in 'a kiln, for the purpose of burning the material so as to result in a complete tile. lt is important that the block shall be constructed in a way to provide for the circulation of the heat in contact with the interior and exterior surfaces of the clay, and it is for this purpose that the tile is provided with longitudinal chambers i and with longitudinal openings j.

Very considerable difficulty is experienced in burning the tile uniformly. Obviously,

were the longitudinal passages j omitted and the cross webs g, h solid or unbroken bethat the two surfaces of cross webs g, lz.

will be baked or burned uniformly. A. tile ltvveenadjacent chambers z', an excess of clay so as to minimize -about equal to the thickness of a wall resulting from an assemblage of the blocks,

v in hollow herein shown,

except, of course, that the total thickness of the wall may ultimately be increased by the application either of an inside plaster coat, or ofY an exterior finish coat, or both, in order to impart desirable finishes to the wall. The increased or larger dimensions required tile blocks to be employed in walls of this character necessitates the employment of internal webs arranged substantially. as herein disclosed in order to produce a block having the strength required to carry 'the load. It is apparent, therefore, that my invention is distinguished in structural particulars from prior blocks in two essential respects;` first, by a thickened web uniting the front and rear walls vof the block and,l

second, by a cross web extending from the end Walls and intersecting with said thickened web, said cross web increasing to a marked extent the strength and stability of the thickened web. In the form of block the thickened web is formed by parallel webs g Iz, separated by the longitudinal spaces; the result being a web the thickness of which exceeds the thickness of either of the walls of the block,'and which exceeds, also, the thickness of the web intersecting therewith. Said thickened web is provided with longitudinal openings for the purpose herein mentioned, the width of said openings'being equal to the thickness of the mortar bond employed for uniting the blocks when assembled. Furthermore, in the block shown, the cross web or webs e f are continuous, the same intersecting with the thickened web and joining the walls of the block at the ends thereof.V

In assembling the hollow tile blocks to produce a hollow wall in accordance with my invention, the blocks are positioned on end so that the walls of said blocks, the internal webs and the longitudinal chambers or passages are vertical, said blocks being assembled in rows andthe blocks of adjacent rows being positioned to break joints i. e. the vertical space separating two blocks of one row is out of alinement vertically considered with the spaces between blocks of adjacent rows. This arrangement of the blocks secures important advantages, chief among which is that the walls at the ends to bring said Walls and webs .in compression and thereby increase the weight-carrying capacity of the wall. Furthermore, the chambers or cells of the superposed blocks are in vertical register,and I am thus enabled to .fill said chambers, or some of them, with concrete material C, which material is reinforced by embedded metal rods or bars D, thus securing great strength for the reason that the concrete material and the metal rods add `substantially to the strength of the wall formed by the blocks, the latter being assembled in the novel manner described for the purpose of utilizing to the best advantage the compressive strength of the clay material composing the blocks themselves.

The hollow tile blocksused in my invention for the erection of walls are positioned on end, it being essential that the blocks when superposed upon each other will stand vertical. Accordingly, my wall blocks are made for the end faces thereof, or those surfaces at lthe` open ends, to extend at a right angle to the surfaces of the side and end walls of the block, and I am thus enabled to set or impose one block upon the others so that all the ,blocks will stand plumb and will have the required lirm bearing one upon the other.

Another novel feature of the invention consistsin spacin or standing each tile on e'nd, in contradistlnction to laylng the tile in a -at horizontal position upon its side.

The tiles are lald in courses with the tiles of one course breaking joints with the tiles of an adjacent course or courses, substantially as shown in Fig. l, whereby the desired effect is obtained in the construction of. the wall.

v As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the tiles A are positioned vertically and on end. In laying the bottom course, the tiles are placed side by side, with a mortar joint B between the llt) planation that all the parts of a block in the j, is

nitaaea purpose of sustaining the weight. The end walls c of a superposed block are in alinement vertically with the cross web g of the block below it; the cross webs g, h are in -alinement vertically with the end walls c, d,

res ectively, of the blocks below them; the we s e, f are in alinement with similar webs of the blocks below them, and the side walls a, b are, corresponding walls of the blocks below them. It is apparent from this detailed exsecond course are in alinement with parts composing the block or blocks of the first course, and thus the solid parts of the blocks in the first and second courses are in vertical alinement, for the purpose of increased strength, rigidity and weight carrying capacity of the blocks composing the wall.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings it is apparent that, in a wall the thickness of which is equal to the thickness of the individual blocks comprising it, said blocks are assembled in a novel manner in order to secure the weight carrying capacity-due to bringing the walls and webs of each block in alinement with certain of the walls and webs of two adjacent blocks in an adjoinin row or rows. ln my block, two cross we s g h are employed, and they are relatively spaced to produce two narrow cells y', the width of which is equal to the cement or mortar receiving space provided between the vertical faces of two adjacent blocks in adjoining rows. rl`hus, the narrow cells 'j in one block are in alinement vertically with `the mortar or cementspaces between adjacent blocks in the rows above and below said block, and this enables the end walls of each block to be in alinement vertically with the two nearest cross webs g L in the two adjacent blocks of an adjoining row or rows, whereby the cross webs g h of one block will register vertically with the end walls of two adjacent blocks above or below the same, whereas the webs e f and the side and end walls of vsaid block will register vertically with certain of the walls and the corresponding webs respectively of said two adjacent blocks. Moreover, it is evident that to se-y cure the desired result, 'i e. to bring the webs and walls of each block in alinement vertically with the webs and certain parts of the walls of two adjacent blocks in the adjoining row, either above or below, or both, said block is made offa length equal to the distance between the nearest cross webs in the two adjacent blocks plus the width ofthe mortar or cement space between said two blocks, it being evident that when said block is placed in position upon said two blocks that the narrow cell space j of the block will also, in alinement vertically with be in vertical alinement with said mortar or cement space between the two subj acent blocks of the row or course below it.

lt is evident that all the blocks ofthe second course should'be laid in the manner described, and further, the blocks in the third, and succeeding courses, should be positioned as herein disclosed.

'The assemblage ofi the-blocks in the manner described brings the chambers z' of each block into register with corresponding chambers in the blocks above and below" it.

This produces a tile wall, the chambers of which are in communication or alinement vertically, as will clearly appear from an eX- amination of Figs. 3 and 4:. The vertical chambers within the hollow tile wall are utilized for various purposes, and in Fig. 4r there is shown a construction of the wall, wherein reinforced concrete, gas or Water pipes and electric conductors may be, and preferably are, incased within the chambers of said wall. When the tiles are positioned on end with their chambers in vertical alinement, some or` all of the chambers may be filled with concrete C. Tension members D are embedded within the concrete, said tension members extending through the vertical chambers and the tile wall. Any suitable form of metallic tension member may be employed, such as the llt `twisted metal rods shown at D in Fig. 4.

tile wall, said pipe E being employed forma conveying gas, water, or other medium, into or from the building; said pipe may be utilized for various other purposes. Furthermore, electrical conductors may be run through the vertical chambers of thehollow tile wall.

The wall is composed, substantially wholly, of hollow tiles placed on end and assembled in the manner described, the thickness of the wall. being equal substan- Mt tially to the thickness of the tiles composing it. Any suitable finish may be applied to the exterior surface and to the interior surface of the tile wall. ln Fig. 4 I have shown the stucco finish F covering the ex- 1w terior surface of the hollow' tiles. The interior surface of thetile wall is covered by one or more coatings of plaster, or any other desired material, indicated at Gr. As shown, the surfaces of the tiles are provided with 12u longitudinal grooves A2, whereby the stucco coating F and the plaster coating G will become keyed to the tiles in order to secure a firm union or adhesion of the coating matei rial to the tile wall. Obviously, the grooves Mt A2 may be omitted, and any suitable surface finish provided on the tiles composing the wall.

As described, my blocks are provided in the exposed surfaces of the side and end B3@ walls with dovetailedv grooves A2. When the blocks are assembled in a wall, the

grooved end walls of two adjacent blocks are in opposing or facin relation, and are in register vertically with the thickened webs of the blocks above and below it, said grooved end walls of the blocks being covered with the mortar or cement bonding material, which material also fills the grooves A2 in said end walls, `so that the bonding' material is interlocked with .the end walls of the blocks, the thickness of said bonding material being equal substantially to the width of the openings j in the thickened webs of the blocks. Owing to the comparatively rough surface of the blocks, and to impart a desirable nish to the wall, I apply an exterior coat of stucco or the like tov the outer surface of the wall, and an interior coat to the inner surface of said wall, the materials of said exterior and interior coatings being interlocked with the blocks for the reason that said materials enter and fill the dovetailed grooves therein.

The tiles are united by mortar or cement applied to the exposed vertical faces of the end walls c, (l, and to the end portions of the webs and walls of the tiles, for the purpose of uniting the tiles solidly into a unitary strong wall construction.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire lto secure by Letters Patent is.

1. A hollow-tile wall block the exterior surfaces of which are provided with grooves and the end faces of said block being at right angles to the surfaces of the walls composing said block, said block being provided internally thereof with a thickened web connecting the inner and .outer walls of said block, the thickness of said web exceeding that of the walls and said block being provided, also, with cross webs extending from the end walls and intersecting with said thickened web so as vto form therewith individual cells extending lengthwise through the block, said thickened web being provided in the material composing it with narrow longitudinal openings, the latter being suiiiciently wide to` include a masonry bond adapted to unite the end walls of adjacent blocks.

2. A hollow-tile wall block the ends of which are at right angles to the surfaces of the walls composing said block, said block being provided internally, thereof with a thickened web and with a continuous cross web, said thickened web connecting the inner and outer walls of the block and theA cross web extending inwardly from the end walls and joined with the thickened web intermediate said inner and outer walls, the thickness .of said first named web exceeding that of the separate walls of the block and v web ywalls respectively said thickened web being provided in the material composing it with openings the transverse width of which is less than that of the individual cells.

3. A wall comprising hollow tile blocks bonded together in rows for the blocks of one row to break joints with the blocks of adjacent rows, each hollow block being provided internally thereof with a thickened web and with a cross web positioned relatively to each other to produce cells extending lengthwise of the block, said thickened web connecting the inner and outer walls of the block and being provided in the material composing it with openings the width of which is equal substantially to the thickness of the bonding material uniting two adjacent blocks on the opposing end walls thereof, the end' -faces of said hollow block being at right angles to the surfaces of the walls composing said block and said blocks being vertically positioned for the walls and webs of each block to aline vertically with some of the walls and webs of two blocks below it.

4. A wall comprising hollow tile blocks each provided on the outer surfaces of the walls composing it with grooves and provided internally thereof with a thickened and with a cross web which latter web connects with the end walls and with the thickened web intermediate the inner and outer walls, the thickness of said thickened web exceeding that of the separate walls of the block and said thickened web being provided in the material composing it with longitudinal openings the width of which is equal substantially to the thickness of the bonding ma-terialiwhich unites two adjacent blocks on the opposing grooved surfaces of the end walls thereof, said hollow blocks being assembled in rows and superposed for the thickened web of each block to aline vertically with the opposing end of two blocks above and below it and with the openings in said thickened web in vertical register with the bonding material uniting said end walls of the blocks, said walls and cross webs of each block being in vertical register with corresponding walls and cross webs of blocks in the rows above and below the same.

5. A-wall comprising hollow tile `blocks each provided internally thereof with.` a thickened web and with a cross web positioned relatively to each other to produce tiene@ w webs of one Yblock to eline vertically with ln testimony whereof have signed my the Walls and Webs of blocks above and bename to this specification in the presenceof low it, the. cells of said superposed blocks two subscribing witnesses. e being in vertical register, and reinforced PHILIP l-LBEVIER. 5 concrete material filling said registering Witnessesz cells ofthe superposed blocks and bonded CEAS. CnKRmsomsN,

to the walls thereof. ARTHUR HARDONGOURT, J r. 

